Save the Giant Panda!

A Global Action Plan by Kathryn W.

Iolite- Claire Voyant

The Giant Panda: An Overview of the IssueThe Giant Panda: An Overview of the Issue

Pandas are one of the world’s most endangered species, with only about 1,600 currently in the wild and captivity. Their native habitat, once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma), has shrunk dramatically due to increases in human population, ranching, logging, trapping, agriculture and new human settlements. Before all of these things started happening, Pandas lived at a much lower elevation, but as these things started occurring, the Pandas were pushed ever-higher up into the mountains.

The more species we lose, the more our planet is at risk. I think it is in our best interest to save the Pandas. Not only are they a peaceful species, they are also a cultural asset to the region where they are found. Pandas have been traced back in Chinese culture as far as 3,000 years, when the Chinese Emperor kept them as pets. Losing such a peaceful and historic animal would be a greater loss to us than the money it may take to help save them.

Elysium- Claire Voyant

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PandaPopulation

Giant Panda Population between 1976 and 2005Better or Worse?

Don’t be Afraid to Sing - Stars

The Plan Although there are many organizations working on saving the Giant Panda, I chose to work with Pandas International, a Colorado-based organization working with the Wolong Panda Reserve in China to help save the Giant Panda from the edge of extinction. My Global Action Plan depended very closely upon Pandas International and their Panda items that they sell from their website.

My Plan: 1. Fundraise at locations with lots of foot-traffic and a more environmentally conscious crowd. Make sure to pick places that will have people interested in helping the Pandas, not just anywhere. 2. Have a back-up plan in case fundraising does not create enough income, such as a bottle/coin drive. 3. Pass out as many Pandas International flyers, bookmarks and post cards as possible to spread awareness about why Pandas are so severely endangered. 4. Raise at least $150 to donate to Pandas International to help pay for milk for baby pandas.

The Outcomes of my Plan• My plan was very successful after a rocky start.

I had to go to my backup plan, because there was no way I would have been able to meet my goal through the fundraising alone, but once I did the bottle and coin drive everything fell into place and I was able to complete my fundraising with a total of $152.60! I had quite a few bumps along the way. One of my venues was almost impossible to follow up with before I started my fundraising there, but once I spoke to the manager he was very helpful and willing to do whatever he could to help me succeed. On my very first day of fundraising I came home brokenhearted, with only one dollar and hardly any flyers accepted by anyone. It made me realize that I probably hadn’t chosen a very good venue, and I went home and changed my fundraising schedule around. Things seems to be going much smoother now, and I expect to be over my needed minimum amount by at least $50.

Mad World – Donnie Darko Soundtrack

Save The Pandas Donations Graph

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Money Raised

The following graph shows the donations I have been able to send to Pandas International, I obviously met my goal and then some, but I still struggled to get even this amount. The $90 was all my own money from the coin drive and the bottle drive.

Most of my struggles came from the contacting of the venues and finding the right places to fundraise. As soon as I had that figured out the rest was just getting out there and going for it.

Did Saving the Pandas Change Me?I think that this project changed me immensely. It helped

me become more responsible, it helped me form a thinking process that will help me think of the long-run and not just the short term. When I started this project, I didn’t expect anything to go wrong, I expected everything to go my way and nothing to interfere. Each time a problem came up, it helped me to grow because it made me think of how I could go on to solve the problem that just sort of developed out of ‘nowhere’. I think that this project is a really good idea, and I think that it has helped me realize that the world does not revolve around me and sometimes you just have to roll with the punches if you want to succeed.

What We Are – Jonatha Brooke

Thanks to: Good Foods Co. Inc and Pandas International

for all your help and patience with me!